Punjab govt to strengthen women empowerment scheme

Published: Saturday, June 7, 2008, 19:34 [IST]

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Chandigarh, Jun 7 (UNI) Punjab has decided to go for a full-fledged campaign for women empowerment at village level and for achieving the desired results, the government has decided to give organisational face to the Mai Bhago Scheme.

Informing this at a media conference here today, Cooperative Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh said the Mai Bhago Scheme was launched about six months back and till date 2500 societies had been formed at village level with 91,959 women members. He said of these 4659 members had been advanced loans for making them self reliant and generate incomes.

Capt Singh said loans were advanced for 18 works including tailoring, establishment of STD PCOs, for making 'papar waris' and other household items. He said a limit of Rs 2 lakh had been fixed for each society and the society would advance loans from its cash reserve.

This advanced money would be refinanced by the Cooperative Banks to the societies to maintain their cash reserves.